Material Worlds Touring Show: Corinne Julius Review

Textiles seems to be the stuff of fine artists, or so a plethora of textile-based shows would have you believe. The Barbican, Tate, Hepworth, Arnolfini, not to mention Paul Smith, have all recently staged textile shows. Previously ignored or critiqued for its association with female and folk art, textiles are currently the material (pun intended) of choice. 

Now, the Hayward Gallery is in on the act with a new touring show, Material Worlds. The show kicks off at the Mead Gallery at Warwick University, Coventry, before embarking on an 18-month tour through additional venues (see below). The show is curated by Caroline Achaintre, known for her tufted fibre wall works. “I wanted the exhibition to emphasise the transition from something quite every day, domestic, and supposedly unspectacular, into the creation of fantastical and extraordinary works, worlds, and visions,” she explains.

To do so, the artists examine ideas of gender, identity, community, ethnicity, myth, and technology. Achaintre’s selection is mostly UK based, encompassing established and upcoming artists, but concentrating on fine artists who happen to use textiles, rather than artists with a textile background. 

Holly Hendry, Slacker, 2019.

Textiles are rarely shown in large spaces with room for the exhibits to breathe, but the Mead gallery is a welcome exception. On entering, visitors are confronted by a gigantic machine, gently clicking away. Holly Hendry’s kinetic sculpture Slacker (2019), inspired by the historical Jacquard loom, uses synthetic materials, fabrics, and aggregates of reused plastics to create a skin that rotates. It’s imposing, but not as interesting or meaningful as its size suggests...

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